Christine's Surprise Wedding Shower

The lovely ladies at Bangor Metro decided to throw a surprise shower for our sales manager, Christine Parker, at the Lucerne Inn (where she'll be getting married on October 8th). Thanks to our publisher, Mark Wellman, the day went off without a hitch and Christine was pleased as punch. Thanks again to the Lucerne Inn and Acadia Limo for making this the best Tuesday ever!

Christine had no idea where we were taking her. Once she realized we were having lunch at the Lucerne she got a little emotional.

What's better than a champagne lunch on a Tuesday? Not much...

From left to right: Tori Britton, Alex Parker, Christine Parker, Mindy Hart, Sandy Flewelling, Jen Violette, Loretta England, and Melanie Brooks.

Meadowlark Music Camp

By Melanie Brooks

Yesterday I drove to the tiny town of Washington to take photos at Meadowlark Music Camp on the shore of Washington Pond. Seventy-five people, mostly adults, spent the week practicing the banjo, harp, dulcimer, flute, fiddle, guitar, voice, and more. See some of my photos after the jump...

What's Happening This Weekend...

There's more than just the American Folk Festival happening this weekend...

Piscataquis Valley Fair
August 26-29
Dover-Foxcroft
Eat homemade ice cream, go on rides at the midway, and view agricultural exhibits and animal pulling events at this fun fair.
943-2650

Crown of Maine Balloon Festival
August 26-29
Presque Isle
When you're not hopping on a hot air balloon ride, enjoy the many other activities, such as the ride-fly-ride bike race, music on the riverside, kids' activities, live music, and BBQs. Balloon launches are at 5:30 am and 5:30 pm.
www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org

Shakespeare in Stonington
August 26-29
Stonington Opera House
Measure for Measure is presented by Actor's Equity performers and directed by Jeffery Frace. 7 pm. $25-$32.50.
www.operahousearts.org

Maine Crafts Guild Fine Crafts Show
August 27-29
Bar Harbor
Come and meet some of Maine's finest professional craftspeople who create heirloom-quality work in wood, metals, clay, natural fibers, and more. Fri. 5-9 pm; Sat. 10 am-5 pm; Sun. 10 am-4 pm. Adults $5; free for children.
www.mainecraftsguild.com

The American Folk Festival
August 27-29
Bangor Waterfront
It's another fun-packed weekend for the AFF. Performers from all across the country will shower the Queen City in music, art, and foods of various cultures and heritages.
www.americanfolkfestival.com

An Evening of Maine Humor With Tim Sample
August 28
Hammond Hall, Winter Harbor
Maine's favorite native-born humorist presents a family-friendly evening of his famous Downeast songs and stories. 7 pm. $20.
www.schoodicartsforall.org

A Cruise on the Katahdin

By Melanie Brooks

Sidekick Shane surprised me with tickets for a ride on the Katahdin steamship this past weekend. It was a 3 hour tour around Moosehead Lake and a ton of fun. He got the tickets at WVII's Half Off Store so we saved a bunch of money -- which was also fun.

I brought along the camera from work to snap some photos. Here's a collection of them. For more, visit our Facebook page!

September Cover

We had the amazing opportunity to put one of Brian Vanden Brink's photos on the cover of our September Home Issue. Lucky us! We've already sent the magazine to the printer but we wanted to see what cover photo you like best. All of these photos are from Vanden Brink's book Ruin: Photographs of a Vanishing America. We want to know what one you like best, so please vote! (Note: if you click on the image it will appear larger in the window.)

poll by twiigs.com

What's Happening this Weekend...

Get out and enjoy this beautiful weekend!

The Ellsworth Antiques Show
August 18-21
Woodlawn Museum
America's longest-running summer antiques show features 27 nationally and regionally renowned dealers, 12 from Maine and 17 from as far as Missouri. Prepare for a diverse selection, from furniture to paintings, to rare books and ceramics. Thurs. 10 am-6 pm, Fri. and Sat. 10 am-5 pm. $10 per person, $15 for show and Woodlawn tour. $75 for preview party and three day pass.
www.woodlawnmuseum.com/antiques

Shakespeare in Stonington
August 19-21
Stonington Opera House
Measure for Measure is presented by Actor's Equity performers and directed by Jeffery Frace. 7 pm. $25-$32.50.
www.operahousearts.org

Compass Project Boat Building Festival
August 19-21
Steamboat Landing Park, Belfast Waterfront
Build your own boat during two and a half days of boatbuilding for youth groups and their families. All materials and instruction provided. Preregister by June 1. Boats launched on Sat. 9 am-1 pm as part of Harbor Fest.
www.compassproject.org

Machias Blueberry Festival
August 20-22
Machias
The 34th Annual Machias Wild Blueberry Festival, located Down East, the region which produces approximately 85% of the world's blueberries. Includes pie-eating and -baking contests, music, foot races, and a blueberry musical comedy.
www.machiasblueberry.com

Come Boating! Annual Regatta
August 21
Belfast Harbor
Races and awards for rowing boats and sailboats in several classes.
www.comeboating.org

Belfast Harbor Fest
August 21
Steamboat Landing Park, Belfast Waterfront
Celebrate a full day of boats on Belfast's historic waterfront. Watch as teams of two race to build a wooden skiff in record time at the National Boatbuilding Challenge, then cheer them on as they test their boats for seaworthiness in a relay race across the harbor. A pancake breakfast, 5K road race, live music, a classic small boat show, marine-related exhibitors, children's activities, and more. Free.
www.belfastharborfest.com

The Wailin' Jennys
August 21
The Strand Theatre, Rockland
Get swept away by the harmonizing vocals of the Wailin' Jennys. With varied musical backgrounds come a unique folk-pop sound and timeless quality. 8 pm.
www.rocklandstrand.com

Union Fair
August 21-28
Union
The Union Fair, one of the oldest in Maine, celebrates agriculture with 4-H exhibits, a sheep shearing contest, horse, oxen, and tractor pulls, an old-fashioned pig scramble, and more. Plus there's a carnival, fireworks, and the crowning of the State of Maine Wild Blueberry Queen.
www.unionfair.org

Maine Fiddle Camp

By Melanie Brooks

Yesterday Shane Leonard and I grabbed our cameras and drove to Montville to check out Maine Fiddle Camp. My friend, Anne Mostue, and her sister were attending this year and I thought a music camp for adults and families was too cool to not visit. So I did.